CiaranIrl wrote:Goodness, it has all been so quiet. I fully realise that the Lions tour will be bursting out into near hysteria on Saturday at Kings Park but it has been the gentlest, least controversial Lions tour by far of all the 75 I have followed.

Thought DOC did alright as captain actually – came away from a fairly niggly match with no Lions disciplined for foul play, yellow-carded, or cited – and this with noted headbangers like Nathan Hines, Andy Powell and Ricky Flutey on the pitch. I'm not sure what the hacks would have had him do, yell out 99 and then start windmilling the nearest Saffa? Bit of a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Geech, Gatland, Edwards and Howley know their sh¡t: they're the ones who selected the squad, they're the ones who train the players every day, they're the ones who have gone over the match tapes exhaustively, they're the ones who've analysed the Boks, they're the ones who know the gameplan. Steven Jones didn't, doesn't, hasn't, hasn't [again] and doesn't [again]. His opinion is his opinion, nothing more. If they've gone with Donncha, they've gone with him for a good reason.

CiaranIrl wrote:Goodness, it has all been so quiet. I fully realise that the Lions tour will be bursting out into near hysteria on Saturday at Kings Park but it has been the gentlest, least controversial Lions tour by far of all the 75 I have followed.

How old is this guy?

That makes it sound like I said that. Stephen Jones now, he is an old bastard.

“As you all know first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anyone wanna see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired.”

Goodness, it has all been so quiet. I fully realise that the Lions tour will be bursting out into near hysteria on Saturday at Kings Park but it has been the gentlest, least controversial Lions tour by far of all the 75 I have followed.

Would you believe it, even today's announcement of the Lions team for the Test, made by a grave-sounding Gerald Davies at the team hotel on the beachfront in Durban, was almost completely lacking in shocks and controversy.

Until the Southern morons tried to remove a few heads from Lions' shoulders at Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, it has been a clean, even spic-and-span, experience and this is something that authorities on both sides should examine. Lions tours should never, ever be low-octane.

Admittedly, the lack of controversy surrounding the Test team could well be simply because the selectors have got it right, that they have husbanded their resources through this tour and come up with the correct combination.

Looking at the team, and with the potentially brilliant Shane Williams so out of form, there is surely no argument surrounding anyone behind the scrum, especially once the selectors resisted the temptation to be conservative and to play a fine footballer such as Ronan Kearney on the wing. There are no other contentious selections in the backs.

Up front, considering the number of tackles that the front row will have to make there can be little argument that Gethin Jenkins and Phil Vickery can do a splendid job. If there is one selection that has caused head-scratching, it is probably that of David Wallace on the openside flank.

It is not that Wallace is unsuited to the task, but, on this tour, he has been remarkably quiet, lacking the intensity he has shown of late for Munster and Ireland.

Hopefully, our David will be restored to his best on Saturday. Certainly, he is up against it in the chase for the loose ball against Heinrich Brussow, the prodigy from the Cheetahs. The Lions will need Wallace to be at his very best and they will need the New Zealand referee to apply the laws at the breakdown, something that did not afflict Brussow when he played so effectively for the Cheetahs against the Lions earlier in the tour.

There is one selection on the bench that has completely dumbfounded me - that of Donncha O'Callaghan as reserve lock. For my money, in a Test of this magnitude and on the evidence of the tour so far, both Simon Shaw and Nathan Hines would have been far better bets and O'Callaghan's failure to assert himself as captain in Port Elizabeth was remarked upon by many around the Lions squad.And the most staggering thing of all? No one really knows how the Lions will go. We have watched them through six warm-up games, often defending really well, often playing good rugby - but never having the power or the armoury to blow away even rather limited provincial teams.

I suppose that, whatever you felt about the Lions' chances six games ago, you know feel roughly the same today.

that makes me angry, i would imagine this comment is total bullshit(the ''remarked upon by many around the lions squad''). have you noticed when the lions struggle with an irish captain its the captains fault but of course when they struggle against western province(the closest run game yet) under vickery not a word on poor captaincy. nothing against vickery, im a big fan.

seriously though if i ever saw the guy i would find it very hard not to punch the f%~ker in the balls even though he'd probably beat the sh1te out of me, im a pussy

Big match from Munster.Don't really understand the criticism of their so called ugly rugby.I love open running rugby but I also admire the collective mastery of this Munster team.What a beautiful machine with that ruthless side to them.

As Hugonaut pointed out above: O'Callaghan did a good job in that none of the Lions face citing for retaliation. He might have pointed some stuff out to the ref a bit more but he wouldn't get away with being in Owen's face all the time the way that Paulie does. Don't know how O'Connell gets away with it.

I think moving setup to the lions where he isn't in such a close shadow under O'Connell seems to suit him. Only rather strange people like the Jones could have complaints about him starting the first test. I think he should have been given a chance with O'Connell.

And I've said it before: Jones is pure comedy. If you get upset by him, don't read him. Personally i look forward to reading him when an Irish team stuffs one of his favourites. His weasel words make me laugh every time. And this is a good year to read him for us.

Still won't buy the wilfully ignorant rag he writes for though.

Datta: what have we given?My friend, blood shaking my heartThe awful daring of a moment's surrenderWhich an age of prudence can never retract What the thunder said to Brian Lenihan

fourthirtythree wrote:As Hugonaut pointed out above: O'Callaghan did a good job in that none of the Lions face citing for retaliation. He might have pointed some stuff out to the ref a bit more but he wouldn't get away with being in Owen's face all the time the way that Paulie does. Don't know how O'Connell gets away with it.

I think moving setup to the lions where he isn't in such a close shadow under O'Connell seems to suit him. Only rather strange people like the Jones could have complaints about him starting the first test. I think he should have been given a chance with O'Connell.

And I've said it before: Jones is pure comedy. If you get upset by him, don't read him. Personally i look forward to reading him when an Irish team stuffs one of his favourites. His weasel words make me laugh every time. And this is a good year to read him for us.

Still won't buy the wilfully ignorant rag he writes for though.

i agree, i enjoy reading his nonsense, online of course, as you say pure comedy but i still would love to sock him one for the laugh of course

Big match from Munster.Don't really understand the criticism of their so called ugly rugby.I love open running rugby but I also admire the collective mastery of this Munster team.What a beautiful machine with that ruthless side to them.

a mate of mine watched the second test from the press section in the stadium last saturday. he was saying a certain journo and a few other english hacks were roaring 'come on shawsie' all game. nothing wrong with that. when he was announced motm they started high5ing each other. nothing wrong with that???finally one was overheard(tho he wouldnt tell me which one) saying he couldnt believe there was 7 potatoe munchers on the team.. nothing wrong with that i say!! the offending journo was quickly pulled up on this comment.. wanka!!

Big match from Munster.Don't really understand the criticism of their so called ugly rugby.I love open running rugby but I also admire the collective mastery of this Munster team.What a beautiful machine with that ruthless side to them.

downsouthdukin wrote:a mate of mine watched the second test from the press section in the stadium last saturday. he was saying a certain journo and a few other english hacks were roaring 'come on shawsie' all game. nothing wrong with that. when he was announced motm they started high5ing each other. nothing wrong with that???finally one was overheard(tho he wouldnt tell me which one) saying he couldnt believe there was 7 potatoe munchers on the team.. nothing wrong with that i say!! the offending journo was quickly pulled up on this comment.. wanka!!

downsouthdukin wrote:a mate of mine watched the second test from the press section in the stadium last saturday. he was saying a certain journo and a few other english hacks were roaring 'come on shawsie' all game. nothing wrong with that. when he was announced motm they started high5ing each other. nothing wrong with that???finally one was overheard(tho he wouldnt tell me which one) saying he couldnt believe there was 7 potatoe munchers on the team.. nothing wrong with that i say!! the offending journo was quickly pulled up on this comment.. wanka!!

Big match from Munster.Don't really understand the criticism of their so called ugly rugby.I love open running rugby but I also admire the collective mastery of this Munster team.What a beautiful machine with that ruthless side to them.